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The Dunwich Horror (1970)

The Dunwich Horror (1970)
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With a style and tone that wreaks of the late '60s, this cheap-looking adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story plays like an obvious reference to the battle between the establishment and the counterculture. The film stars Dean Stockwell as Wilbur Whateley, a brooding young man who makes a connection with a pretty librarian named Nancy (a very out-of-place Sandra Dee). Whateley wants to get his hands on the Necronomicon, a diabolical book that he believes will help him to open a doorway to a dimension inhabited by unspeakable creatures known as the "Old Ones." Hypnotized by Whateley's spell, Nancy accompanies the man back to his cursed home where he lives with his nutty grandfather (Sam Jaffe) and an unseen "thing" that is kept in an upstairs room. Meanwhile, the Necronomicon's owner, Dr. Armitage (Ed Begley), does some detective work on Whateley when he begins to fear for Nancy's safety. He quickly realizes that Whateley means to sacrifice Nancy in order to accomplish his diabolical plan. Whateley manages to steal the Necronomicon and begins the ritual to resurrect the Old Ones. As Armitage races to stop him, the thing from the upstairs room breaks out and beats a murderous path towards Whateley as well, leading to a final confrontation that leaves a lot to be desired. ~ Patrick Legare, Rovi

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Starring:
Sandra DeeDean Stockwell, (more)
Director(s):
Daniel Haller
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R
Format(s):
DVD
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Synopsis of The Dunwich Horror

With a style and tone that wreaks of the late '60s, this cheap-looking adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story plays like an obvious reference to the battle between the establishment and the counterculture. The film stars Dean Stockwell as Wilbur Whateley, a brooding young man who makes a connection with a pretty librarian named Nancy (a very out-of-place Sandra Dee). Whateley wants to get his hands on the Necronomicon, a diabolical book that he believes will help him to open a doorway to a dimension inhabited by unspeakable creatures known as the "Old Ones." Hypnotized by Whateley's spell, Nancy accompanies the man back to his cursed home where he lives with his nutty grandfather (Sam Jaffe) and an unseen "thing" that is kept in an upstairs room. Meanwhile, the Necronomicon's owner, Dr. Armitage (Ed Begley), does some detective work on Whateley when he begins to fear for Nancy's safety. He quickly realizes that Whateley means to sacrifice Nancy in order to accomplish his diabolical plan. Whateley manages to steal the Necronomicon and begins the ritual to resurrect the Old Ones. As Armitage races to stop him, the thing from the upstairs room breaks out and beats a murderous path towards Whateley as well, leading to a final confrontation that leaves a lot to be desired. ~ Patrick Legare, Rovi

Theatrical Feature Running Time:
88 mins

Complete Cast of The Dunwich Horror


Director(s):
Daniel Haller
Writer(s):
Henry RosenbaumCurtis HansonRonald Silkosky
Producer(s):
James H. NicholsonSamuel Z. Arkoff
Theatrical MPAA Rating:
R(Questionable for Children, Violence, Adult Situations)
Categories:
HorrorMystery & Suspense
Warning:  This product is intended for mature audiences only. It may contain violence, sexual content, drug abuse and/or strong language. You must be 17 or older to purchase it. By ordering this item you are certifying that you are at least 17 years of age.

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Member Reviews
 
Matthew W.

I'm a Lovecraft fan, and I'd always gotten the impression that this was a bad adaptation of the story which somehow involved Satanism. This is not true at all. It's a very decent adaptation with Wilbur Whately trying to call back the Great Old Ones. It's just not a very good movie. Definitely some cool parts, but the climax of the story is very lame. It really could have been so much better. I'm still not sure if I liked Dean Stockwell's performance or not. He's very neutral, not creepy or annoying. He's just... there. If you're looking for a good horror movie, look elsewhere. If you're a fan it's worth checking out.

Yes   |   No

 
Claudia H.

We found this to be a very good movie for late at night with a thunderstorm outside and a bowl of popcorn inside. Dean Stockwell did a good job of being both cultured and menacing at the same time. It was a bit strange to see how young he was then, and how strange the '60's fashions and hairstyles look now...We thought we were dressed to the nines back then too...LOL. Roger Corman was known for making cheap movies but it would've been better if he had spent a few bucks on the "monster" that we never actually got to see. The only other thing wrong was chubby Sandra Dee who was just naked enough to let us see how much cellulite she had on her lower half. All in all though, we liked this film if for no other reason than we were part of the '60's ourselves.

Yes   |   No

 
Ramona R.

Not to much to this movie, it's quite tame. I like Dean Stockwell and Sandra Dee, but no depth to their characters. There's too many other good movies that make much more sense.

Yes   |   No

 
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